Ridgway To Montrose Standard Gauge 1953

It was 56 years ago that the narrow gauge era in Ridgway finally came to an end. The last narrow gauge train ran from Montrose to Ouray on March 21st 1953. For the next 10 days, the track crew was busy replacing every third narrow gauge tie, with a standard gauge tie. On April 1, 1953, the line between Montrose and Ridgway was standard gauged....in one day. The crew simple spread the rails apart to 4'8.5". That way the rails were still on the edge of the narrow gauge ties and in place on the new standard gauge ties. Then for the next few months, the section gang was busy replacing all the narrow gauge ties, fixing switches and re-gauging or taking out sidings.

This picture was taken by Bob Richardson on April 2, 1953. It is posted here from the DPL. The track on the highway crossing is still narrow gauge. Eventually it would be widened to standard gauge for a few hundred yards. Just to the right of this picture is where caboose 0400, the refer and the coach sat for many years. The current railroad museum would be to the right of this picture also, about 150 feet. The line from ridgway to Ouray remained in tack until it was scrapped out in October 1953.